Goodmorning from Bookshelf

I'm not going to pretend that I have a huge amount of time to read. I do it in snatches and bursts, and I'm fussy about books. If I don't like it, I can't read it. I'm sad to say that some books languish lonely without readers in my house until I despatch them to friends, or to Browsers http://www.browsersbooks.co.nz/ (thank you Rachel!) and I've been known to give them away in airports ever since the woman gave me her horrible, tatty and falling-apart copy of an unmentionably awful book to me in the bookstore at the Dubai airport - sorry lady, hated it, but great idea to gift books that way! (I can't even remember the author but it involved a sticky marriage plot so outlandish it made me reel in the airplane seats and laugh outloud, so I guess it was good for something.) Over the years I've been immersing myself in novels again after reading mostly non-fiction and poetry. The novel! such a fantastic way to have a conversation with a book. I am so glad to have rediscovered novels. To be able to carry that strong narrative through and build a world is so impressive and something I can't imagine doing. Though I still love the short story as a form - and will comment on a few short story collections here too. This is my way of having the chance to share some great books without joining a book group. I feel like in my work life I have enough 'homework' and deadlines and commitments so I can't read to order. But I wanted to at least talk about some of my favourites. So here it is.